Need help choosing a Medicare plan? This top expert in Reno shows you the way
His job title is Medicare Broker. His satisfied clients refer to him as a “navigator” or “translator” when it comes to tackling the intricacies of health plans. Matt Law of Health Benefits Associates says changes from providers, the government and insurance companies have picked up in recent years. As he says, “There is never a dull moment in the world of health care. On a daily basis, the network lists and provider contracts change with annual regulatory changes.” If you need help choosing a Medicare plan in Reno, Matt could be your guy.
On the plus side, there’s more variety
Medicare Advantage plans have been around for quite some time. Matt says “The past 5 years have been a roller coaster for Medicare. Plans are popping up right and left all over Nevada. I am excited to see more options and better plan designs each year!” Out of all those plans, the goal is to find the one that’s best for you. Matt’s background seems tailored to help: he was born for problem-solving. “I wanted to be an engineer when growing up. I always loved solving complex problems and I enjoyed math at a young age.”
Baseball beginnings
Matt was recruited to play baseball at various colleges. America’s favorite pastime led him to Reno from his hometown of Mountain View California. “I came to Reno so I could try and play baseball at University of Nevada. In my senior year of college I had a paid internship at IGT where I did Marketing.”
Entering the health care business
How did he end up as a Medicare plan advisor? “I fell into it! Health Benefits Associates was hiring for a job. I was interested by the Affordable Care Act, which was deemed constitutional the same week I applied for the job. After I graduated in May 2012 I got my job at HBA in June 2012. There is a lot to keep up with but I love the challenge! My office is constantly learning new things and I am always learning from the experiences or research of the other brokers in my office.”
Offering No Cost Meetings
For seniors looking at health plans for the first time, there’s no charge to meet with Matt to get a true understanding of the Medicare plan landscape: “I help teach my clients about how to access health care and cover the costs at the most affordable rates. Medicare offers great plans that are not expensive. It may be complex, but the available plans make it easy to recommend.”
Better yet, his friendly demeanor even makes choosing the right Medicare plan enjoyable. What’s the best part of his job? “I get to meet people! I’m a people person and I love waking up and going to work because I get to have fun and socialize with my Medicare clients.”
Come with questions
What would he like people who come for a no-cost consultation to ask him? “I want them to ask me everything! I want people to think about their future and their potential health care needs. When they ask me hypothetical questions, I guide them through the scenario so they understand what to do and where to go.”
In the office, “I help with a lot of projects around the office relating to sales strategy, marketing, and general initiatives for the office. I get to know the insurance companies and local doctors in town to better understand health care logistics and build relationships and friendships.”
If you are new to Medicare…
Matt has this advice: “Find an advisor who is local. Many people call 1-800 numbers and get sold a plan that does not work very well locally. Always make sure to find someone pronounces it ‘Ne-VAD-uh’, not ‘Ne-VAH-duh’.”
What you save with the right advice can be tremendous. “If you spend 5 extra minutes researching, it could save you from a $5000 mistake.”
Contacting Matt
If you need help choosing a Medicare plan in Reno, Matt can always be reached by email: matt@healthbenefits.net. On workdays, you can call him at 775-828-1216. He loves “face to face meetings with people in our Reno and Carson City office.” And for information about Health Benefits Associates, click the link below:
